


A Bar Named BLUE

by orphan_account



Category: Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda - Becky Albertalli
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - No Emails (Simonverse), F/F, Fluff, I'm sorry I always pick on Bram, M/M, POV Alternating, POV Bram Greenfeld, POV Bram but only in the second chapter, gay bars, happy ending I promise, meet cute, no emails AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-08
Updated: 2018-09-10
Packaged: 2019-07-08 14:24:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15932285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Simon Spier never had a Email Pen Pal in High School. He was never outed. He never dated Bram Greenfeld.He doesn't know what he missed.Now, It's his sophomore year of college and he runs into the most beautiful guy he's ever meet when his friends all go up to New York for the night. But, can Simon keep him from slipping through his fingers?





	1. SIMON

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!   
> I am still going to post the last chapter of my fake dating AU fic, it'll be coming in the next few days.

The first semester of college was lonely. Even with staying in touch with my high school friends. Even with the weekly skype calls from Leah and Abby. (If I’m being honest, sometimes those weekly calls stirred up extra longing. Watching Leah and Abby happy in love…)

But, I was determined to make the _best_ of college. So, I joined the Haverford Pride club, went to bingo nights, did theater, found a study group to cram in the library with., did it all. And when the semester was over I was struck with something unexpected; I’d become close enough with my college _friends_ that I was sad to say goodbye, even just for the month-long winter break.

Winter break was this odd time where I was happy to see all my old friends, happy to be home, but still caught missing something. It feels like I’m always like that now, half-missing whichever part of my life I’m away from. Like this hole…

The semester started up and a new thing got added to my happily-busy schedule: trips to the city. Not often—but the night we all got back, after big papers were turned in, after exams—we would all pile into the train and take the hour and half trip up to New York City.

Up we would snapchat everything, and joke and map out where we’d go for the night. Down we would slump in the seats, slur our words, and confiscate phones so no embarrassing drunk-texts made their way to various ex’s.

That train ride is where I am now, on the night before my sophomore fall term starts, squashed between my friends and catching up on our summers.

Amelia, probably my best college friend, dyed her hair green over the break and she keeps fluffing it to catch Quinn’s attention.

Quinn, adorable Quinn, has been staring at Amelia since spring mid-terms—when we all drank too much coffee, but Amelia crashed anyways. So, Amelia doesn’t really need to bother.

Oliver, the awesome nerd who sends out cool vibes away, is raving about power structures in pop-culture.

Noah, the quiet one who’s somehow our groups glue, is listening politely.

Sophie, the other theater geek, keeps pulling her phone out and eying pictures of her ex.

Payton will take Sophie’s phone by the end of the train ride.

Riley is telling Sophie about how her ex is horrible and we’re better off without them.

We’re a big, messy, group. It’s perfect, I should feel at home, but that hole still rests in my chest.

Noah scoots over to me and says, “We need to get Amelia and Quinn together already!”

I laugh quietly, “Unfortunately, they’re both oblivious. Quinn won’t say anything—they’ve been crushing on Amelia too long.”

“And Amelia isn’t outright enough to ask.”

“We’ll make it happen,” I glace at them, “but not tonight. Not at a club where they’ll get drunk and make the morning after awkward.”

Norah nods, and goes back to someone else’s conversation.

***

When we make it to the city we go to BLUE, it’s a gay bar we discovered last term. It’s right near Columbia so there’s always other college students there. It’s a mix between a bar and a club, but tonight the lights are pulsing and its club music. Everyone is celebrating too, the happy vibes and a couple drinks put me in a thoroughly good mood.

We’ve been here a couple hours, and I’m dancing with Amelia and a couple guys she pulled out of nowhere. I’m not sure they ever said their names, but one of them has these dark bangs that fall into his eyes and he keeps getting closer.

I don’t want to go home with him, but I like the attention, so I let him. Then, we’re dancing on each other and his hands are wandering. The first time we ever came to the city, Amelia and I developed what I call, _The Look_. _The Look_ means we need rescuing. It’s a no questions asked promise that we won’t strand each other.

So, when he leans in impossibly closer I shoot Amelia _The Look_. She grabs my hand and starts giggling, “Si!” She squeals, “I need another drink!”

Then she promptly falls all over me and I give the guy a fake-apologetic look and stumble with her to the bar.

Amelia is kind of amazing at acting. The drunk girl is her most used one.

“I thought you were into him!” she has to shout over the music. I order us two bottles of water.

I shrug, “Just to dace with, not kiss.”

She nods and chugs her water. Then she’s watching Quinn. They’re across the room, leaning against the wall and chatting with two guys.

The first guy looks straight as hell. He’s got on a soccer jersey and has this cropped blond hair. It’s a gay bar, so he’s probably not, but it kind of makes me laugh.  It’s not even that he looks like the epitome of a jock, it’s the vibes he’s giving off.

Next to him is, without question, the hottest guy I’ve ever seen. I mean, damn. His arms are tones, and he’s got this dark skin that glows in the lighting. He’s in jeans and a button up, and he blushes every time a guy walks past him. he’s so put together for BLUE on a club night. While I’m watching his eyes move across the room until they meet mine. The second his soft brown eyes meet down a jolt goes down my spine, then he’s looking down at the floor again. This soft smile on his lips and his face is even redder.

“Let’s go talk to Quinn,” I jerk my head over and Amelia blushes and nods.

We make our way over, we lose sight of them halfway across the dance floor and by the time we make it to Quinn they’re alone. They’re not wasted drunk, but they’re happy-go-lucky tipsy. So, the second Quinn sees Amelia they throw their arms around her and let out a content sigh.

“Who were you talking to?” I ask, trying to sound casual.

“Just some Columbia guys,” Quinn shrugs.

“Let’s go home,” Amelia pouts.

“I’ll get the others,” I say, “meet you guys outside in ten?”

 

Sure enough, Sophie’s phone is firmly in the possession of Payton. Leading Sophie to periodically throw herself on Payton or beg ‘pretty please?” for the phone. Riley is the most waisted, and Noah must keep an arm firmly around him. Amelia and Quinn walk with me, slightly behind the rest. Halfway to the train I throw my arms around both of them, this huge grin on my face.

***

We all live on the same floor. We planned it over the summer. This building is apartment style dorms. There’s four people to a dorm, and five dorms a floor. Oliver, Noah, Quinn, and me are in dorm 302, and Sophie, Payton, Riley, and Amelia are in dorm 304. We discovered this morning that 304 has the nicer kitchen and living room so it’s the official hang out space. Which is why I’m not at all surprised to wake up on Amelia’s floor. Or to walk out to find Oliver and Noah crashed on the couch.

It’s funny, if I we weren’t all so gay someone would probably tease me about spending the night in Amelia’s room. As it is Amelia and Quinn burst through the doors with pastries smuggled out of the dinging hall and I make coffee.

***

It’s a couple months before we make it back to the city. Tonight, we’re celebrating Sophie getting a leading role in the fall play. Despite Noah and I’s best efforts Amelia and Quinn are still just shooting each other glances from the train seats.

I’m not going to worry about them tonight. I’m just going to sit and hope that _the guy_ will be at BLUE again…

It’s a mellow night, so I sit in our booth and text Leah for a while. Noah is the last to stay sitting, but eventually a guy comes up and pulls him away to dance. It’s adorable, Noah’s so quiet he rarely gets flirted with at BLUE.

So, that’s where I am when I look up to see _him_ sitting at the bar. The same blonde hair guy is with him. the blonde guy keeps leaning in and pointing at things.

On the dance floor, Amelia’s with Quinn and they’re dancing around each other and giggling. I know for a fact they’re both sober tonight, and I’m not going to interrupt that.

I take a deep breath then abandon my half-finished drink. I’d down it, but I’d rather not be drunk right now.

This time, when I make it to the bar he’s still here. I sit a couple seats down from him and the bartender comes over to chat with me. I keep glancing over at him, trying to get the courage up to talk to him, when another guy comes over and pulls him onto the dance floor.

“Six waters,” I tell the bartender. I watch him out of the corner of my eye as I take them back to our table. I sit down to finish my drink and as the songs pass my friends come in and out of the booth. Three songs later, all the water is gone, and Oliver finally drags me onto the dance floor.

“Stop moping, Simon!” He shakes his head at me.

“I’m not moping!” I protest but can’t help my eyes flickering to where the guy is. He’s got a group a people around him now and he looks a lot more relaxed.

Three more songs and I’m breathless, and I’ve lost track of him. It’s for the best, really. I don’t even know his name, but I’m still mad at myself for not talking to him sooner.

Another song and I extract myself from my friends and shoot Noah a text:

**S: I’m going outside for a sec**

**N: You okay?**

**S: yeah just need a breather**

The air is getting chilly, but it feels refreshing after all the heat in BLUE. I lean against the corner wall and people watch. There’s a couple stumbling into a cab, and another making out on street bench, and two guys leaving the club.

I close my eyes and rest my head against the brick wall.

My phone buzzes a couple of time, but I ignore it. Then, someone crashes into me. I throw my arms out to catch them, and they start apologizing.

“I’m so so sorry!” he presses a hand into the wall behind me and rights himself. At full height he’s a couple inches taller than me.

_It’s the guy._

Up close he has these long eyelashes that almost brush his cheeks, and his breath smells like mint.

“It’s okay,” my hands are still on his waist, “feel free to fall on me anytime.”

A blush rises in his cheeks and he looks down a little.

“I’m Simon,” I say, “by the way.”

He looks up and his eyes meet mine, “I know,” he whispers.

“Oh.”

His eyes go wide, and he backs away from me a little, and I realize my hand is still on his waist.

“um,” he looks away.

“Sorry,” I let go of his waist.

He looks like he’s about to bolt, so I blurt out, “What’s your name?”

“Bram.” He says.

The name sounds oddly familiar, but I can’t think of why.

“Where are you headed, Bram?”

“Colombia.” He’s still looking at the ground.

“Is it creepy for me to walk with you.”

I can see a smile playing on his lips as he shoves his hands in his pockets and starts walking. I stand still for a minute then he kind of jerks his head.

“I think I’m the creepy one.” He sys as I catch up to him.

“Because you know my name?”

He just nods.

“Were you talking with one of my friends or…?”

“Um, I think we went to the same high school.”

“Creekwood?” I can’t control the smile going over my face.

He just nods again.

“That’s awesome!”

He’s walking in-step with me, but he doesn’t look at me, just watches the city and occasionally sneaks peeks. He blushes when he sees me watching.

He seems to do a lot of blushing and not talking.


	2. BRAM

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so there was a brief period of time where I thought I misplaced this chapter and couldn't find it ANYWHERE. It ended up being exactly where I saved it in the first place. *sigh* 
> 
> Anyway, this is Bram's POV

Garret drags me out to BLUE sometimes. He thinks I should get out more. He thinks I spend too much time in the library, and that maybe if I hooked up with someone I’d finally be able to talk to guys.

I think I have a good thing going with the library. All the librarians know my name, and they let me have coffee on the second floor. And it’s not like I _only_ go to the library. I have soccer, and sometimes I convince myself to go to LGBTQ meetings, where I sit in the back of the room silently. (Do you know how many cute, openly gay, guys are at Columbia’s LGBTQ meetings? A lot.)

And I’m not lonely. Not really.

I have Garret, the soccer guys, a couple study buddies, and as previously mentioned all my library friends.

Still, when Garret drags me out to BLUE I don’t argue. I just watch everything happening and try not to get too tongue tied. It’s all okay.

Until… Until one-night Simon Spier appears at BLUE. It’s the end of my freshman year when I see him there the first time. And I just leave. As soon as he walks in, laughing, with seven other people.

I can’t watch him hit on guys all night like I watched him date Cal Price in high school. I can’t watch him not notice me. And I can’t deal with the fact that it’s my own fault. I leave. And I _don’_ t spend all break thinking of the odds of Simon ending up near enough to my college to show up at gay bars down the street.

Garret drags me out to BLUE the night we get back, though, and I feel nauseated.

Will he be there?

What if he is?

 

_What if he isn’t?_

It’s the thought that I’d be more disappointed if he wasn’t that makes me go.

He is there, and I force myself not to bolt again. Instead someone runs into me and I learn their name is Quinn, and that they have a crush on the girl talking with Simon.

Garret gets their number. But our conversation is cut short when Simon and the girl start heading over.

I start to panic, and they notice.

“You okay, Bram?” Quinn leans forward.

“Um, no…”

They frown, “go, and text me later, kay?”

I just nod and Garret walks me out.

“Was that Spier?” Garret asks when we’re halfway to campus.

“Yes.”

“What are the odds?” he muses.

***

But Simon isn’t there again. And a few months later I get dragged onto the dance floor by a gorgeous man. It almost makes me mad, because I’m back to pining for a boy that never knew about me, and here’s a real guy that’s interested. We dance until there’s a crowd around us and I can slip away unnoticed.

I should get over Simon.

I should go home with the guy.

Instead I start my slow walk home and consider going to the library. It’s still early, I could still study.

The air is cold, and I preoccupied with making a mental list of all the assignments I have when I stumble over someone. His arm wraps around my waist to hold me up and I press a hand into the brick wall to steady myself.

“I’m so so sorry!” I right myself and try to stand straight, I can’t quite manage it because he’s still holding my waist. I look at—

_Simon?_

“It’s okay,” Simon smiles at me, “feel free to fall on me anytime.”

I look down, to where he’s still touching me and blush. _Oh, Simon… if only you knew how many times I’ve fallen._

 “I’m Simon, by the way.”

 “I know,” I blurt out before thinking. And I want to hit myself. Of everything I could have said…

I try to back away, and he pulls away from me. Great, I’ve freaked him out. I’m just going to go back to my library and never leave again.

“Sorry,” Simon says, then, “What’s your name?”

“Bram.” I glace at Simon, but there’s no acknowledgement there. It stings. We weren’t exactly friends, but I sat at his lunch table for two years.

 “Where are you headed, Bram?”

“Colombia.” I stare at the ground.

“Is it creepy for me to walk with you.”

I can’t help smiling to myself. He wants to walk with me? I nod my head and start walking.

 “I think I’m the creepy one.” I say when he falls into step next to me.

“Because you know my name?”

I nod.

“Were you talking with one of my friends or…?”

“Um, I think we went to the same high school.”

“Creekwood?” Simon’s face lights up with a smile. “That’s awesome!”

I nod. I’m back in high school, tongue tied and hopelessly crushing on Simon Spier. I watch the city pass and allow myself the occasional glance at him. Every time he’s already looking at me, and it makes me blush so hard.

“You’re quiet.” Simon remarks after a minute.

This may be the bravest, stupidest thing I’ve ever said, “I’m quiet around cute guys.”

His smile is worth it.

“You are the most adorable guy I’ve ever met.” Simon says.

“Where do you go?” I ask.

“Haverford,” Simon says, “My friends and I only come up to New York once in a while.”

“Okay.”

“I’m guessing you go to Columbia?”

“Yeah, my friend drags me to BLUE when he thinks I’ve spent too much time in the library.”

Wow, could I have said anything nerdier?

“What are the odds?” Simon asks, “I don’t know anyone else from Creekwood who’s anywhere near here.”

“Maybe everyone in New York is from Creekwood, and you’re just oblivious.”

He shakes his head, “No, I think it’s fate.”

I don’t even know how to respond to that.

“Is this you?” Simon asks.

“mmhm.”

He pulls his phone out and hands it over, “Can I have your number?”

I blush and type in my number.

He grins and waves at me, “See you, Bram.”

“Goodbye, Simon.”

I’m barely through my door when my phone buzzes:

**Unknown: Hey cutie.**

**Bram: Get home safely, okay? I hear there’s lots of creeps who follow you home in NYC.**

**Simon: Nah, I’m too badass for creeps. And I don’t think you mean that, it’ll be at least 3 in the morning before I get home.**

**Bram: I do mean it. Even if it’s three in the morning.**

I start working through next weeks readings but after a few chapters my eyes get heavy. I mark my place and get the book aside then turn the lights off.

My alarm wakes me up at six the next morning. My mouth feels stale, even though I didn’t drink, and I’m exhausted. That’s what I get for staying up too late. Still, I drag myself out of bed and into the bathroom.

I’m halfway through my shower when I fully wake up and realize _Simon Spier gave me his number last night_. I almost drop my shampoo, then fight the urge to run out of the shower, soap studs and all, to check my phone. My hands are shaking by the time I get out of the shower, but I still brush my teeth and put on clothes before grabbing my phone. There’s a single text from 3:27 this morning:

**Simon: Back at Haverford**

**Bram: Sans the creeps?**

I grin to myself and clutch the phone to my chest. That’s how I’m standing when my second alarm goes off. I jab the screen a couple times and mutter “I know, I know.”

It takes me another five minutes to find all my books and binders and shove them into my bag, mostly because I’m too busy smiling like an idiot to function. Them I’m rushing out the door to the library.

Anyone else would probably just sleep in. I don’t have classes till 10, but I have papers to write.

The Library has four floors:

The first has a coffee shop in the corner, the front desk, and everyone calls it the ‘talking floor’. It’s where everyone does group projects and where any time after 9:00 the coffee shop corner is so packed you can’t walk without stepping on someone’s toes. That’s one of the perks at getting to the library at 6:30 every morning. The talking floor is silent, and there’s no line for coffee.

The second floor is where most people study, it also has the bulk of basic books. There’s a help center, and little study pods. The third floor is more upperclassman aimed books, mostly research, but it’s a popular floor because that’s where the study group rooms are. They’re soundproofed, and you can rent them for an hour. Those rooms get booked within the first week for finals, but every other time they’re easy to snag.

The fourth floor, oh the fourth floor. It’s dead silent, and only seniors and professor go up there.

 

But I’m on the first floor for now, waiting for my coffee and staring at my phone.

“Look whose happy today,” Char coos.

I blush and tuck my phone away, “I’m always happy.”

She shakes her head, “The last time I saw you with a smile that big was—”

“Please don’t,” I laugh, “I’m sure it’s some embarrassingly nerdy study story.”

“I was going to say after the soccer team won last spring.” She adjusts the stack of books in her arms.

“Sure, you were,” I drop my bag onto one of the chairs and take a few books off the top of her stack, “I’ll help.”

“What about your coffee?” she asks.

I wave over at the counter, and Leo looks up from the coffee pot.

“I’m going to help Char, just leave it on the table with my stuff?”

“You got it,” Leo smiles.

“If you’re helping, then I want the story behind that smile.”

Char and I put the books away and I stumble through the story of getting Simon’s number. I would leave the part about him being my high school crush, but Char already knows. At the end she’s beaming.

“I’ve gotta go study,” I tell her at last, picking my coffee back up.

“yeah, yeah,” she says, sitting back behind the front desk.

***

It’s almost nine when Garret plops down across from me. He’s still bleary eyed and is nursing a cup of coffee.

“Careful or they’ll kick you out again.” I nod at his coffee.

“It’s completely unfair,” he says, “they let you have coffee up here.”

“Well, they love me.”

“Yeah, Yeah,” Garret groans, “please tell me you didn’t abandon me last night to come _study_.”

And I guess the universe has a sense of humor because my phone buzzes and lights up with a text:

**Simon: We’re you awake at 6AM, Bram?**

Garret leans over and his eyes go wide, “Simon, like Simon Spier?”

**Bram: “Awake” is a strong word.**

“If you abandoned me to finally hook up with Spier, I take back all my comments.”

I roll my eyes, “We didn’t hook up.”

**Simon: Oh my god, you’re a total Ravenclaw aren’t you?**

**Bram: Hermione was obsessed with the library and she’s a Gryffindor.**

**Simon: YES, I knew I liked you for a reason!**

**Bram: Are you telling me all I have to do for your affection is know Harry Potter facts?**

**Simon: Can’t hurt.**

**Simon: I can’t believe I’m saying this; Harry Potter was my sexual awakening.**

**Bram: How so?**

**Bram: and I knew I liked you for a reason.**

**Simon: ?**

**Simon: …reading Drarry fanfiction.**

**Bram: You used a semicolon in a text message.**

**Bram: and fanfiction or slash?**

**Simon: You’re a grammar nerd, that’s cute. And… undisclosed.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it! 
> 
> I'm not really feeling this story ATM, I might come back to it but for now I'm leaving it here. Consider it a meet-cute (for now at least). Simon and Bram have meet, they both think the other is adorable as all hell, and they're going to fall in love over text.

**Author's Note:**

> I love Bram, but for some reasons most of my fics are sad at the beginning for him... sorry?   
> ***  
> The next chapter will be out Sunday at 9PM <3   
> ***  
> Hope you like this! Thank you to everyone who comments or leaves Kudos!


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